April, 1944
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night. Then there was a great earth quake. God caused all the doors to be opened. Every man was tree. The keeper was frightened, because he thought the prisoners would run away, but Paul said: “Don't be afraid. Just ‘believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.’ ” Right away, the keeper trusted Christ and he became a good friend. (Read verses 33 and 34.) .
MAY 14, 1944 P A U L IN TH E S S A LO N IC A A c ts 17:1-10; T h e s s a l o n ia n s
Acts 17:1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a syna gogue of the Jews: 2 And Paul, as his manner was, went In unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from . the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I ' preach unto you, is Christ. 4 And some o f them believed, and con sorted with Paul and Silas; and of the de vout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. 1 Thessalonians 2:1 For yourselves, breth ren, know our entrance In unto you, that It was not in vain: 2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention. 3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: 4 But as we were allowed of God to be put In trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trleth our hearts. 5 For neither at any time used we fla t tering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness: 6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherlsheth her children: 8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. 9 For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: for laboring night and day, be cause we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached untb you the gospel of God. haved ourselves among you that believe: 11 As ye know how we exhorted and com forted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, 12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. LESSON TEX T : Acts 17:1-4; 1 Thess. 2 : 1 - 12 . GOLDEN T E X T : “ Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God In Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess. 5:16-18). DEVOTIONAL READING: 1 Thess. 1-2-10. Outline and Exposition T h e S u b j e c t of P a u l ’ s M in is t r y ( A c ts 17:1-4) W HEREVER Paul w e n t , he (v. 2) preaching there. As the New 10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how ■ holily and Justly and unblamably we be
Testament had not yet been written, “the Scriptures” hr used would be the Old Testament. Hence, the gospel by which sinners may be saved (cf. 1 Cor. 15:1-4) is revealed cleaVly enough in the Old Testament, so that any one may thereby be led to Christ.* These Scriptures taught that Christ must suffer and rise again from among the dead. The Old Testament is full of these truths (cf. Psa. 16; 22; Isa. 53, and many others). And from these portions Paul, like, others, would preach that Christ “ suffered for sins, the just for the unjust,” and that He rose from the dead to “ bring us unto God” (1 Pet. 3:18). Having shown from their Scriptures that Christ must suffer and rise from the dead, Paul emphasizes that this “Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ” (v. 3). That is, he declared that Jesus of Nazareth who died on the cross, was, and is, the Jews’ prom ised Messiah, the • Christ. This is the truth that staggered the Jews of that day, and over which Jews of today also stumble. They find it hard to see that their Scriptures de clare Messiah must first suffer be fore He can reign. But here Paul pressed home the truth, and “ some of them believed” (v. 4) and became the nucleus of the church of the Thessa lonians (cf. 1 Thess. 1:1). II. T h e C h a r a c t e r o f P a u l ’ s M in is t r y (1 T h e s s . 2:1-12) •First, he was as an evangelist, bring ing spiritual life by preaching the Word (vs. 1-6). He proved to them that he was not deterred from preaching the gospel by the persecution he met (cf. Acts 16:11-40). His ministry as an evangelist was “ not of error” (v. 3), but tended to purity of living, unlike their heathen practices. It was carried on in order to please God, not men (cf. 2 Cor. 5:9). He used no flattery (as they knew), was free from covet ousness (as God knew), and sought no glory for himself (vs. 4-6). He preached the gospel of the grace of God unto salvation. Second, he was as a nurse, nourish ing spiritual life in the believers (vs. 7-9). The figure is of a trained nurse ministering to her own children as a mother would do (v. 7, R. V.). Too often there is great patience shown toward the unsaved, but impatience and a lack of sympathy for the babe in Christ. Too many Christians think that as soon as a person is born again, he should walk and act like the saint of many years’ experience. But Paul,
Object Lesson A P r e c io u s P r iz e
OBJECTS: Two candles, otie short and one unburned, and a blue ribbon with a gold seal cut from gold-colored paper. LESSON: There is a prize winner here this morning, and I am going to award this blue ribbon with the gold seal to him. You are wondering whether or not you are the one to receive the blue ribbon. I w ill give you a hint. It is one of these candles on the table. Which one would you choose to be the prize winner? “ The big one.” I knew you Would guess the wrong one. Which candle has given itself to light the darkness? “The short one.” Yes, and ’ this candle should have the blue ribbon for service. The tall one is more beautiful to behold, but it has never given of itself to drive away the darkness. As I look at this short candle, I am reminded of the words of Paul, “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13, 14). He was willing to give his life in order that he might give the light of the gospel of Christ to those who were in darkness. Giving the light of the gospel finally cost Paul his life. Today, Christians are not killed because they let their light shine, but our faithfulness to Christ often costs us friends and po sition. We are not to look at the present cost, but at the future reward, when Christ shall say: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21). Then we shall be glad that we gave our lives to take the gospel light to many who were in darkness.
preached in the synagogues of the Jews, and at Thessa lonica he spent “ three sabbath days”
B L A C K B O A R D LESSON
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